Tuesday, July 18, 2017

I hope everyone made the best they could out of July 4th and whatever vacationing could be done. We sure did around here!

We are not the go vacationing for the 4th kind of folks usually. Most the time to be quite honest we're usually working. It's very much took for granted that most people are off on typical holidays but honestly it's just not so. We are also limited greatly by the fact that we have animals. Someone must be able to tend and feed them.

Fortunately, we made our escape just over the hill and camped out the week. Several of the children were able to either pop in or camp with us the majority of the week.

Here's a few of the smiling faces.

Not a bad looking bunch for some river bathed campers.

We didn't go to a traditional campground but chose to rough it on some of the Ole Man's property. He wasn't sure about our whole endeavors considering he wasn't going to be able to stay more than a day or two because of work. He also was pained that we didn't do much more planning.

This man is a planner.

This women is a go by the seat of you pants-er.

The first day we started out just picking a spot and beating down some field grass to set up camp. I know it could have been mowed or cleared first but hence the go by the seat of the pants part.

Me purchasing a 12-quart cast iron dutch oven and a hey...let's do it a few weeks before was the inspiration for this camping endeavors.

Within a few hours time, the Ole Man had this awesome fire pit built for me.

and the beans were on!

We initiated the black pot with 15 Bean Soup with smoked sausage.

It was so..so..good.

We had got rain during the day and being down on the creek made that warm stew a blessing.

Within the day, we had really turned into tent city.

I brought a few essential cast iron cookware for the week. I'm a believer in keeping the coffee on and not much beating some eggs in the morning. Truly, we did more eating than anything;

a good bit of of creek playing, hiking and foraging,

we stumbled on a hallowed and forgotten home place.

I had a super time roughing it with my Jack Rabbit.

This was a wonderful way to spend the week. I am definitely hooked. I can't wait to do it again.

Monday, June 20, 2016

This is just a no-brainer kind of recipe. I just tweeked my basic 2-crust pie shell with a little bit of granulated sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

I generally use the Crisco Butter flavored shortening. It always proves to give me good butter results. I am still using White Lilly All Purpose flour these days. I can't seem to remember to pick up some Martha White when I'm in a neighboring county. I'm not quite sure why neither grocer we have here in Stuart will offer Martha White All Purpose but until they do White Lilly is the next best thing.

I really enjoy making pie crust. I think it's probably the kid in me. I'm the get in there with your hands kind of girl.Just cut your shortening in until it's about the consistency of cornmeal.That's about the texture I like to see.

Take note to use ice water. Your shortening will work a little more to your liking as well if it's chilled just a bit. Just enough to take the smushiness out.You've added enough water when your dough will sort of follow you around the bowl and sticks together. If it's too moist it will be difficult to work with.

Form into a ball and divide in half.

Fold up your dough, set it in my pie dish and fluted the edges.

I filled up my pie with ready made cherry pie filling and topped with cut out stars from the crust . In the oven at 425 degrees for about 45 minutes or until it's nice and golden.

The funny thing about this whole pie was my anger that was congered up when I put the large can of Duncan Hines Comstock Pie filling in my pie to find it was barely there. I had used this product for a long time but it simply was not enough to fill my pie.

So...

I grab my purse and run for the nearest grocery store.(not Walmart but Lowes) to find that they don't even carry that brand at all nor do they carry a large can at all.

So...

I purchase two regular cans of Lucky Leaf and as luck would have it they were not the same cherries. The Comstock were bright red and the lucky leaf were dark.